Tag Archives: Amazing Women

Joy Jam

What were the 3-5 things that gave you joy this week?

:: Rediscovering, remembering artist Anne Packard: When I was working on my Full Snow Moon Dreamboard, I used a few images from an article about painter Anne Packard from the December/January 2010 issue of Coastal Living magazine–one of a table and tools in her studio, and the other of her hands working on a tiny painting. The hands remind me of a similar picture of an 83 year old painter, hands splattered with paint, that Andrea Scher shared on Superhero Journal recently. I want to be old like that, I want to be creative like that, I want to be free like that.

Honestly, it was hard for me to cut up those pages and use those images. I love that article so much, love everything about Anne’s work and life, and covet her studio. She reminds me in some ways of poet Mary Oliver, another gloriously creative and free spirit–what/who I want to be when I grow up.

:: Tina Fey: Everything about this woman makes me happy. When I was younger, I wanted to be a performer, like Barbara Streisand, Lucille Ball, and Carol Burnett. Who cares about “pretty,” but oh to be talented and funny (and gorgeous–maybe not in the traditional Hollywood sense, but all these women are gorgeous)!

In the 41 6-Word Days lovefest on A Human Thing yesterday (it’s a lovefest every day), a few of us got to talking about the line from 30 Rock, “I want to go to there.” It’s one of my favorite quotes, even more so because of the story about where it came from. In an interview on the Jimmy Fallon show, Tina Fey told him that her oldest daughter Alice says funny stuff that ends up in the show all the time, but for this particular line, Alice was about three and Tina was secretly considering taking her on a trip to Disneyland, so she was online, researching and looking at the website when Alice came around the corner, saw what was up on the screen (the Cinderella castle) and said “I want to go to there.”

I was explaining that yesterday, and while trying to find a video of that interview, I ended up watching some other Tina Fey videos and thinking about how much I love her–she makes me laugh, makes me so happy.

Tina Fey, Sexy Nerdy Funny Girl

:: Registering for Blogging from the Heart: I know I’ve said this already, but I am so excited about this class. I signed up in the first few minutes registration opened because I just couldn’t wait (the class is officially sold out). Clearly, the theme for this week’s joy jam is women I admire, and Susannah Conway is one of them–funny, brave, open-hearted, smart, gorgeous, and talented. As good as I feel about the blogging I’m already doing, I know that this class is going to open up a whole new part of my heart.
Susannah Conway
:: Playing “find it” with Sam: This is a game where I take whatever toy Sam happens to be playing with, ask him to sit and wait, go into another room and “hide” it (no place too difficult, because he’s really not all that good at it yet), return to where he’s waiting and tell him to “go find it!” He loves this game. I have to make sure Dexter doesn’t help, because he’s super good at finding, and would win every time.

:: Glen the baby squirrel adopted by a dog: This is actually an older story (February of 2009), but Eric just forwarded me an email about it today. If you click on the picture, it will link you to the original news story and a video. In the mail Eric sent me, it ended with what it called “the moral of the story”: Keep loving everyone, even the squirrelly ones.

Something Good

I am Left Brain. I am Right Brain.

I despise most advertising, geared as it is towards convincing us we are not enough, something about us is broken or missing or wrong, but if we buy “the thing,” we’ll suddenly and magically be forever happy and safe and young and rich and loved.

Even though I feel this way about advertising, sometimes there are ads that even I have to admit are wonderfully funny (I’m thinking of this Volkswagon ad from last year’s Super Bowl) or beautiful. This one, from Mercedes Benz, is beautiful–and kind of weird as an advertisement for a luxury car brand, (click on the image to read more and see a few other versions).

The text for the left brain reads:

“I am the left brain. I am a scientist. A mathematician. I love the familiar. I categorize. I am accurate. Linear. Analytical. Strategic. I am practical. Always in control. A master of words and language. Realistic. I calculate equations and play with numbers. I am order. I am logic. I know exactly who I am.”

And for the right brain:

“I am the right brain. I am creativity. A free spirit. I am passion. Yearning. Sensuality. I am the sound of roaring laughter. I am taste. The feeling of sand beneath bare feat. I am movement. Vivid colors. I am the urge to paint on an empty canvas. I am boundless imagination. Art. Poetry. I sense. I feel. I am everything I wanted to be.”

My fortune from yesterday’s lunch

Smart cookie.

Baby beaver

I hate the damage the adults do to the tree population at McMurray Ponds Natural Area, but this weekend, we saw one of the babies. So cute! Don’t believe me? Watch this video of a baby beaver in a bathtub.

Dog sighs

I love the noises dogs make when they are dreaming, or when they eat a carrot or an apple, but a dog sigh goes straight to my heart.

Owls

I’m kind of obsessed with owls lately. They symbolize wisdom, intelligence, and freedom. They are seen as oracles of secret wisdom and protectors of the dead, of souls and secrets and dreams. They are able to see things that are hidden, are shape shifters. They have a connection to the underworld, death, and the moon. If this blog had a mascot, an animal spirit guide, I imagine it would be an owl, most likely riding on the back of a dog.

Here’s a great color palette and picture from Design Seeds (a really fun site for all you color and design geeks).


I also love the work done by the woman behind Dou Dou Birds. I finally bought two of her owls, the new mascots for A Thousand Shades of Gray. Now, what to name them…

Some Things You Need to Know

This is from Marc and Angel.

Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations. Ignore them. Don’t give in. In this crazy world that’s trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self. And when they laugh at you for being different, laugh back at them for being the same.

Remember, our courage doesn’t always roar aloud. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering, “I will try again tomorrow.”

Calligraphy Links from Scoutie Girl

I am a calligraphy nerd, love the practice, so I loved these links.

“Getting it Up” from Zebra Sounds

Judy Clement Wall is one of my new favorite people. She is the instigator behind the new site A Human Thing, and also the author of Zebra Sounds. Her latest post, “Getting it up” is a really great kick in the pants for artists.

Add to the Love in the world – a challenge

From Unicorns for Socialism, ways to add more love to the world.

Memoryhouse, “Untitled”

Beautiful video, dreamy song.